In recent years four wheel drive vehicles have experienced a great increase in popularity. These vehicles are noted for their power, their durability and their ability to maintain traction on the road under adverse weather conditions. All of these features prove advantageous in the pulling or towing of other vehicles, a function that is quite necessary under circumstances when a wrecker is unavailable or too expensive.
Although four wheel drive vehicles are quite capable of pulling another vehicle, they are often ill equipped for performing such a service, especially when the need for towing is not anticipated. Thus, connection between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle is usually made on the spot with whatever can be cobbled up.
For the owner of a four wheel drive vehicle who make occasional tows, each tow will require a suitable connection of the chain to the chassis of the pulling vehicle. In much the same way that a driver replacing a flat tire must correctly place the jack under a location which is suitable for lifting a car, a chain for pulling a vehicle to be towed must be secured to a portion of the chassis which is able to withstand the considerable force required. Even under well lighted conditions, it is sometimes difficult to secure a pulling chain to the underside of the chassis of a pulling vehicle. Difficulties associated with the correct placement and securing of a pulling chain to the underside of a chassis become compounded during night time.
One solution to this problem of on-the-spot connection between the chain and the underside of the chassis of the pulling vehicle might be simply to leave a chain secured in place at all times. However, this would bring about the undesired result of the loose chain banging against the underside of the chassis during the vehicle's movement, and thus this would not be a viable solution.
Once the chain is connected to the pulling vehicle in the position which permits the towing of another vehicle, its subsequent connection to the other vehicle usually causes the chain to grate against the underside of the pulling vehicle. If the chain is tight against the underside of the chassis of the pulling vehicle, turning of the pulling vehicle increases the sliding and grating across the underside of the chassis. If the chain hangs lower than the underside of the chassis to prevent contact during connection, slack in the chain caused by the turning of the pulling vehicle could cause the chain to bang against the underside of the pulling vehicle during towing.
For these reasons, although a four wheel drive vehicle is otherwise well equipped for towing, problems associated with connecting a chain for towing and preventing damage to the pulling vehicle caused by a chain during towing inhibits such use in practice. Thus there has been a need to develop means for performing a suitable and safe connection between the pulling vehicle and trailing vehicle which does not adversely affect the appearance or the normal everyday use of the pulling vehicle, and which is easily attachable.